X-Men: Blood in the Machine
by WafflesTheApprentice
Summary: Blade has gotten fed up with Jubilee and is going to permanently end her. However, his protégée Matrix has fallen in love with her and wishes to save her. Rated T but it may go up later on.


**Hey everyone just to let you all know this is my first story. I will try to update at least once a week, but I am still in school so I can't make any promises. Reviews are welcome, and if you flame me I won't care.**

**X-Men and various other characters belong to Marvel.**

**I only own Matrix and Marionette.**

* * *

**X-Men: Blood in the Machine**

**Chapter One**

Blade was getting tired. Tired of chasing Jubilee all over the rooftops of this damn city! This girl was becoming more of a problem than he thought. Tonight, however, he would put this problem to rest; permanently. At least that's what he thought until someone decided to cut him off mid-chase.

"Eric Brooks, is that really anyway to treat a lady?"

Blade sighed before turning to face his protégée, "What do you want now Duncan?"

"You know what I want. I want you to leave her alone. She's just a kid, and Wolverine will never forgive you if you hurt her".

"You know I can't let a single one of these abominations live".

"What about Hannibal?"

"You know that's a different situation", Blade said as he all of a sudden became aggressive to his protégée, "He's our friend and partner, hell he even helped us to remove every vampire from Earth at one point, but you already knew this. Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"

"That's what I'm getting at. If Hannibal can be your partner, why can't Jubilee be one as well?"

Blade took a moment to ponder this. He never considered it before. All those nights chasing Jubilee around without Hannibal had made him forget how helpful a vampire partner could be. If Hannibal could change, could she change as well?

"Just let me talk to her Eric. You know I can help her"

"You mean make her your ward?"

"Yes I do. I know we've never tried it before, but in this case I don't think anything else will help"

"Alright" Blade said, "You have one chance. But if this doesn't work I'm going after her"

"That won't be necessary"

With that response, Blade watched his partner swing off after Jubilee, leaving him to wonder what he had gotten himself into.

"Good luck Matrix"

* * *

Matrix finally caught up with Jubilee after almost a half-hour of swinging across the rooftops. During the chase, he remembered the reason he was able to chase her down.

When Duncan was barely fifteen he discovered he had the mutant ability to control technology. That same month he was diagnosed with diabetes. After a few years he was approached by some men from a 'government organization'. They offered to cure his diabetes in exchange for his services as a special operative. Duncan accepted the offer and was injected with experimental nanobots. They cured his diabetes, and also gave him immunity to any and all viruses, poisons, venoms, and diseases. In addition to the nanites they wrapped ninety-foot long titanium chains around the ulna and radius on both of his arms. They allowed him to swing around tall buildings like Spiderman. They also increased his combat potential.

His first mission was to restrain The Midnight Sons; Blade, Michael Morbius, and Hannibal King. After tracking them down he attempted to capture the paranormal investigators. They quickly restrained him and questioned his actions. After informing them of his mission, Hannibal was quick to explain to him that the agency who hired him was Weapon X, the group responsible for making Wolverine, and that they wanted to turn The Midnight Sons into weapons; a fact that they only recently became aware of. Hannibal then struck a deal with him. In exchange for helping The Midnight Sons defeat weapon X, they would induct him into their group and train him properly. Duncan accepted his offer, and after successfully defeating Weapon X, he re-christened himself Matrix and started training with Blade.

Over the next couple of years he joined them in slaying vampires, co-developed the Montessi Formula, and even helped prevent the return of Deacon Frost. Never the less, Blade never let him perform a mission solo. That is, until tonight, when his first mission was to help Jubilee.

* * *

Jubilee was making good time. She was running from Blade, again. She never understood why he chose to pick on her in particular, but she just learned to accept it and stay out of his way. However, it seemed that he was looking for specifically. After another half hour of running, she looked back and saw that he had disappeared, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Suddenly from behind her she heard someone land on the rooftop. She turned expecting to see Blade, but who she saw instead surprised her.

The person standing in front of her was much younger than Blade, but he couldn't be much older than twenty at least. He had dirty-blonde hair occasionally broken by black streaks. He was easily more than six feet tall, and had muscles clearly visible under his black muscle shirt. He wore camouflage cargo pants, and over top of it all he wore a green cloak with a hood. Despite her caution, she couldn't help but notice his attractiveness, and yet when she continued to look at him she knew something was different.

* * *

After a few minutes of staring at each other in silence, I decided to start the conversation the only way I knew how; a joke to break the ice.

"So are you just a pretty face or is there a name attached?"

* * *

He was the first to break the silence.

"So are you just a pretty face or is there a name attached?"

I chuckled a little at the joke. Despite my initial reaction I had to admit he was charming. I was thankful that it was especially dark tonight; otherwise he might have seen me blush darkly in comparison to my pale skin.

"My name's Jubilee, but who wants to know?" I responded sarcastically.

* * *

Duncan chuckled at her response. She had spunk and wit that was for sure. Now it was time for him to get down to business.

"Oh, no one in particular. However it might help keep Blade from hunting you."

From the way she flinched at his mentor's name Duncan knew that she was uneasy with this topic. He had to choose his next words wisely; otherwise she might start running again.

"What's your game?"

"No game. I just want to keep my mentor from slaying you".

From the expression on her face Duncan was she sure she would become aggressive. Instead she stood there and waited for an explanation.

"My name is Duncan, although my code name is Matrix. My body, including my blood, contains specialized nanobots that help accelerate healing, and cure viruses."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I know that you have gone without feeding for several months. I also know that after a few more you will go crazy and kill the first person you come across be it friend, foe, or innocent bystander. I have come with the offer to let you drink my blood freely".

"What, are you crazy!?"

"No, now let me finish. I cannot be turned because my nanites will eliminate the venom, in addition to replenishing any blood lost by the second. They will also decrease your hunger and turn you into a day walker."

Jubilee thought about the offer. To become a day-walker like Blade would solve so many problems for her. A constant supply of blood also sounded very tempting. However, she didn't know Matrix, and this could easily be a trick so that he or Blade could slay her. On the other hand, the consequence for not taking the offer could be attacking her friends. She already knew how dangerous that was after losing control around Laura.

"Okay you have a deal. Just let me start now, I'm starving!"

"Alright, let's do this" Duncan said as he removed his cloak, revealing his exposed neck underneath.

* * *

Not far away from where the two were talking, a third person was spying on them. Marionette was a recent inductee to the institute, and true to her name she had the mutant ability to control people as if they were puppets. Right now all she was doing was watching the guy talking to her friend Jubilee with a sense of suspicion. As soon as she saw Jubilee a look of aggression towards him, she knew she had to step in. She attempted to control the man in front of Jubilee, but for some reason it wouldn't work. Regardless she kept trying, unaware that she had been spotted.

* * *

I watched Jubilee approach me with hunger in her eyes. I awaited the shocking feeling of her feeding, but something didn't feel right.

"Wait" I said. I noticed the sudden disappointment in her eyes as I prevented her from satisfying her hunger.

"What is it? Is there something wrong?"

"Someone's watching us"

Without warning I shot out one of my chains and pulled out a girl who was hiding in the bushes just below the building.

As she was pulled closer, I noticed she had long brown hair that hung past her shoulders. She wore a costume similar to a kimono, except that there were no sleeves and her dress was cut so you could see her leggings.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"She" Jubilee said in frustration, "Is Corina Moore"

"My name is Marionette!"

After a few minutes of her struggling and cursing, I ran out of patience for her. So I threw her in the direction of the Jean Grey Institute.

"Hey what are you doiiinnnnnggggggg!?"

Before I could turn back around Jubilee took me by surprise and sank her fangs deep into my neck.

* * *

Blade watched from a nearby rooftop as Jubilee fed on his protégée.

"I hope he knows what he's doing"

* * *

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

Marionette continued to fly towards the mansion, until eventually she crashed into Nightcrawler.

* * *

The garden at night is so peaceful and quiet. I often come out here to think or pray. I was about to stop and sit when all of a sudden…

"Aaaaahhhhhhh incoming!"

"Vhat the—"

*CRASH*

"Sorry Kurt"

"Ugh vhy do this fraulein?"


End file.
